Boat-propeller



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. W. COOPER. BOATPROPELLER.

No. 284,821. Patented Sept. 11, 1883.

QULQQU I I 'ixuxamiw mum N. PETERS. Phdo-L'nhognyinr. Wnhington. B. C

(No Model. J W COOPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2-.

BOAT PROPELLER.

4 No. 284,821. 2 Patented Sept. 11, 1883.

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M7 rfiflwg M NITEED STATES PATENT OFFIeE.

JASON B. LOOMIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOAT-PROPELLEB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,821, dated September 11, 1883.

Application filed April11,\1883. (NomodeL) .To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN WV. COOPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia in the count-y of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boat-Propellers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification The object of this invention is to provide an oscillating or reciprocating paddle-wheel,

whereby one half of its face is adapted to receive the impingement of the water, while the other half of its face is capable of offering a minimum resistance to the water, alternately, during its reciprocation or oscillation, and whereby the plane of movement of its face may be reversed or changed, and it may be readily put into operation or its movement arrested.

The invention consists of parallel approximately semicircular-shaped plates, with pivoted blades or slats arranged between them; secondly, of the individual construction of the blades or slats; thirdly, of the aforesaid plates and their blades or slatsso arranged that the inner blade or slat will lap the outer surface of the inner or hub portion of the adjoining blade or slat; and of certain other combina tions and arrangements of parts, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved wheel and its operating mechanism adjusted for operation. Fig. 2 is a face perspective View of my wheel. Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the same, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section thereof. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the wheel. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of that part of the frame which is provided with the keeper for the end of the lever. This view shows the perforations in the frame and the means whereby the lever is seouredto said frame.

the wheel of two thin approximately semicircular-shaped plates, A A, and two series of pivoted blades or slats, B, arranged between them, at the side, on which the edges of the plates A are made straight from the ends inward, and curved outward at the middle, where the shaft a is firmly secured to the plates, and which marks the separating-point between the two series of blades or slats. The ends of the plates A are united by upright blade-shaped bars a, with their sharp edges presented toward the semicircular side of. the plates. The two series of blades or slats are each made with a rectangular portion, b,which is formed with ahub or sleeve, 12, said sleeve or hub receiving an axis or shaft, 0, having a shoulder at its upper and at its lower end,with its reduced portions secured in the plates,

.and washers 0" inserted or placed thereon between the shoulders and the plates, to permit the blades to swing clear of and avoid frictional contact with the plates. The hub or sleeve portions of the blades or slats are extended and tapered rearward, as at N, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the purpose .of which 75 is to reduce their resistance to tl1ewater,while moving through the same, to a minimum.

It will be noticed that as the wheel is moved through the water one series of the blades or slats, constituting one half of its face, will be closed to receive the impingement or action of the water, While the other series of the blades or slats, constituting the other half of its face, will stand open for the passage of the water. These positions of the blades or slats will alternate as the wheel is moved in one direction and then in the other, to avoid resistance upon the wheel from the water at the rear side thereof.

Upon the shaft a, which has its bearings in suitable frame-work, d cl,is arranged a clutch, G 0, one half, 0, being connected to the said shaft, and the other half disconnected therefrom. These clutch sections or halves, with doublebeveled interlocking teeth, are thus adapted to remain in engagement-with each other when moved either way by the engine-pitman D, connected to the lower section or half, 0, by the crank-arm E, and thereby permit a reciprocating motion to be communicated to the shaft (1.

shaft, and which is transmitted by the latter to the wheel. Upon the shaft a is also fixed a beveled pinion or toothed wheel, F, which will be further referred to presently.

G is a forked lever fulcrumed upon apivot, G secured to an upright of the, frame-work (1, its forked end G extending under the clutchsection 0, and adapted to hold the latter in engagement with its fellow clutch O. The opposite end of the. lever G passes through a keeper or eye, 6, fastened to an upright of the frame d.

H is the rear end or handle of the lever G,

and h is a curved arm pivoted thereto. 9 is a pin, pivoted at g to arm h. The lever-handle H is provided with a guide-loop, f, for the pin g. The forward end of the pin gjis adapted to engage any one of the openings (1 in the frame, and thereby secure the lever-handle H at any desired point within the keeper e-that is to say, the lever-handle H is vertically adjustable within the keeper 0, and may be secured therein by means of the pin gand openings d. h is a spring to give the handle of the lever It an upward tendency. Vhen the handle h is raised, the pin 9 is forced into engagement with one of the openings d,'and the lever G thereby secured. By this means the operator is enabled to engage or disengage the loose clutch G from the fixed clutch G, where: by the propeller is thrown in and out of operation.

I is a supplemental bifurcated lever, pivoted at I to the handle H. The lever I is held in an upright position by the lever h. The spring It holds the lever it against the cross-bar I in the upper side of lever I. The lower end of the spring It is fixed to the handle- H.

To the supplemental lever I is connected a rope, J, which is extended into the engineroom, to be under the control of the engineer, whereby the latter is enabled, by suitably manipulating the same, to operate the leverhandle H, through which, as above stated, the operation of the wheel is controlled. The manipulation of the rope J by the engineer may be aided by a suitable contrivance arranged in connection therewith in the engine-room, and adapted to indicate the required amount of pull to be exerted upon the rope to effect the disengagement of the clutch-sections O 0 when it is desired to stop the motion or operation of the wheel.

It is obvious that when the rope is slackened the weight of the longer arm of the lever G and its adjunctive parts will cause the handlever H to act in connection with its rack, so as to secure the clutch-sections together, to again permit the operation of the wheel.

-K is a beveled pinion arranged or fixed on a shaft, K, suitably supported upon uprights of the frame (Z, and in such manner as to be capable of endwise movement to allow said pinion to be moved into engagement with or be moved from the pinion F on the wheel- Upon the opposite end of the shaft K isa spring, J, the normal action of which is to retract or isolate the pinion K from pinion F, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Upon the same end of the shaft K is a pilot wheel, L, and a lever, -M.

It will be noticed that by disengaging the clutch-sections O C in the manner or way above stated and moving the pinion K into engagement with the pinion F by endwise pressure on the pilot-wheel or its shaft, and by imparting a rotary movement to said shaft either by lever M or the pilot-wheel, the angle of presentation of the face of the wheel can be re from the pinion E of the wheel-shaft, when by again clutching the clutch-sections O C the wheel will be put into motion. I

Having thus fully described my invention, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An oscillating paddle composed of the plates A, the blades or slats B, having their rear ends tapered, and of upright end bars, a, the said end bars being tapered to a point at their rear edge, whereby the least possible resistance is offered to the water in the backward movement of the paddle, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the wheel-shaft, of the plates A, provided with blades B, said blades consisting of the rectangular portion b, hub or sleeve 1), and the rear tapered end, b', as shown and specified, and of end stop-bars vertically arranged between the plates A, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with the wheel-shaft, of the plates A, provided with shafts c and up right blade-shaped stop-bars a, of the blades B, consisting of the rectangular portion b, hub or sleeve 1), and the rear tapering end, 6 substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with the wheel-shaft having the double-acting clutch-sections, of the eranlcarm and engine-pitman, and the le ver adapted to hold the clutch-sections into engagement with each other, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the wheel-shaft having a beveled pinion, of the sliding shaft, carrying also a beveled pinion, and a spring adapted to retract its pinion from the wheelshaft pinion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the clutch-operating lever, of the supplemental bifurcated lever pivoted to the clutch-lever and connected to an operatingcord, and the spring-actuated arm pivoted to the clutch-arm and acting up- 2s4,s21 7 s on the supplemental lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The vibrating propeller, substantially as hereinbefore described, composed of the oper- 5 ating-shaft a, the parallel plates A A, fixed upon and at right angles to the operating-shaft,

and having their rear edges approximatelysemicireular and their front edges on lines approximately radial to the operating-shaft, and

bladesarranged on opposite sides of the shaft IO and pivoted between the radial edges ofthe parallel plates, as set forth. f In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. COOPER. \Vitnesses:

J. FRANCIS BACON, DAVID P. BROWN. 

